RAPID COMMUNICATION

Diagnostic Criteria for Multiple Sclerosis:

2010 Revisions to the McDonald Criteria
Chris H. Polman, MD, PhD,1 Stephen C. Reingold, PhD,2 Brenda Banwell, MD,3
Michel Clanet, MD,4 Jeffrey A. Cohen, MD,5 Massimo Filippi, MD,6 Kazuo Fujihara, MD,7
Eva Havrdova, MD, PhD,8 Michael Hutchinson, MD,9 Ludwig Kappos, MD,10
Fred D. Lublin, MD,11 Xavier Montalban, MD,12 Paul OConnor, MD,13
Magnhild Sandberg-Wollheim, MD, PhD,14 Alan J. Thompson, MD,15
Emmanuelle Waubant, MD, PhD,16 Brian Weinshenker, MD,17 and Jerry S. Wolinsky, MD18
New evidence and consensus has led to further revision of the McDonald Criteria for diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
The use of imaging for demonstration of dissemination of central nervous system lesions in space and time has been
simplified, and in some circumstances dissemination in space and time can be established by a single scan. These
revisions simplify the Criteria, preserve their diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, address their applicability across
populations, and may allow earlier diagnosis and more uniform and widespread use.
ANN NEUROL 2011;69:292302

iagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) include

clinical and paraclinical laboratory assessments1,2
emphasizing the need to demonstrate dissemination of
lesions in space (DIS) and time (DIT) and to exclude alternative diagnoses. Although the diagnosis can be made on
clinical grounds alone, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
of the central nervous system (CNS) can support, supplement, or even replace some clinical criteria,39 as most
recently emphasized by the so-called McDonald Criteria of
the International Panel on Diagnosis of MS.8,9 The McDonald Criteria have resulted in earlier diagnosis of MS with a
high degree of both specificity and sensitivity,1013 allowing
for better counseling of patients and earlier treatment.
Since the revision of the McDonald Criteria in
2005, new data and consensus have pointed to the need

for their simplification to improve their comprehension

and utility and for evaluating their appropriateness in populations that differ from the largely Western Caucasian
adult populations from which the Criteria were derived.
In May 2010 in Dublin, Ireland, the International Panel
on Diagnosis of MS (the Panel) met for a third time to
examine requirements for demonstrating DIS and DIT
and to focus on application of the McDonald Criteria in
pediatric, Asian, and Latin American populations.
Considerations Related to Revisions to the
McDonald Criteria
The Panel reviewed published research related to the diagnosis of MS and to the original and revised McDonald
Criteria, gathered from literature searches of English

View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI: 10.1002/ana.22366

Received Nov 2, 2010, and in revised form Dec 23, 2010. Accepted for publication Dec 29, 2010.
Address correspondence to Dr Polman, Department of Neurology, VU Medical Center Amsterdam, PO Box 7057,
1007 MB Amsterdam, the Netherlands. E-mail: ch.polman@vumc.nl
From the 1Department of Neurology, Free University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; 2Scientific and Clinical Review Associates LLC, New York, NY; 3Division
of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 4Department of Neurosciences, University Hospital Center, Toulouse, France; 5Mellen
Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research, Cleveland Clinical Foundation, Cleveland, OH; 6Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of
Neuroscience, Scientific Institute and University Hospital San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; 7Department of Multiple Sclerosis Therapeutics, Tohoku University
Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; 8Department of Neurology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic;
9
St Vincents University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland; 10Departments of Neurology and Biomedicine, University Hospital, Kantonsspital, Basel,
Switzerland; 11Corrine Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY;
12
Clinical Neuroimmunology Unit, Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia, University Hospital Vall dHebron, Barcelona, Spain; 13Division of Neurology, St.
Michaels Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 14Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; 15University College
London Institute of Neurology, United Kingdom; 16Multiple Sclerosis Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA; 17Department of Neurology, Mayo
Clinic, Rochester, MN; and 18Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX.

C 2011 American Neurological Association

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Polman et al: 2010 Revisions to MS Diagnosis

language publications containing the terms multiple sclerosis

and diagnosis, and from specific recommendations of relevant papers by Panel members. The Panel concluded that
most recent research supports the utility of the McDonald
Criteria in a typical adult Caucasian population seen in MS
centers, despite only limited research and practical experience in general neurology practice populations.
In its discussions, the Panel stressed that the McDonald Criteria should only be applied in those patients
who present with a typical clinically isolated syndrome
(CIS) suggestive of MS or symptoms consistent with a
CNS inflammatory demyelinating disease, because the
development and validation of the Criteria have been
limited to patients with such presentations. CIS presentations can be monofocal or multifocal, and typically
involve the optic nerve, brainstem/cerebellum, spinal
cord, or cerebral hemispheres.
In applying the McDonald Criteria, it remains imperative that alternative diagnoses are considered and
excluded. Differential diagnosis in MS has been the subject of previous data- and consensus-driven recommendations that point to common and less common alternative
diagnoses for MS and identify clinical and paraclinical
red flags that should signal particular diagnostic caution.14,15 In its current review, the Panel focused specifically on the often-problematic differential diagnosis for
MS of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and NMO spectrum
disorders. There is increasing evidence of relapsing CNS
demyelinating disease characterized by involvement of
optic nerves (unilateral or bilateral optic neuritis), often
severe myelopathy with MRI evidence of longitudinally
extensive spinal cord lesions, often normal brain MRI (or
with abnormalities atypical for MS), and serum aquaporin-4 (AQP4) autoantibodies.16,17 There was agreement that this phenotype should be separated from typical MS because of different clinical course, prognosis,
and underlying pathophysiology and poor response to
some available MS disease-modifying therapies.18 The
Panel recommends that this disorder should be carefully
considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients presenting clinical and MRI features that are strongly suggestive of NMO or NMO spectrum disorder, especially
if (1) myelopathy is associated with MRI-detected spinal
cord lesions longer than 3 spinal segments and primarily
involving the central part of the spinal cord on axial sections; (2) optic neuritis is bilateral and severe or associated with a swollen optic nerve or chiasm lesion or an
altitudinal scotoma; and (3) intractable hiccough or nausea/vomiting is present for >2 days with evidence of a
periaqueductal medullary lesion on MRI.19,20 In patients
with such features, AQP4 serum testing should be used
February 2011

to help make a differential diagnosis between NMO and

MS to help avoid misdiagnosis and to guide treatment.
Correct interpretation of symptoms and signs is a
fundamental prerequisite for diagnosis.21 The Panel considered again what constitutes an attack (relapse, exacerbation) and defined this as patient-reported symptoms or
objectively observed signs typical of an acute inflammatory demyelinating event in the CNS, current or historical, with duration of at least 24 hours, in the absence of
fever or infection. Although a new attack should be
documented by contemporaneous neurological examination, in the appropriate context, some historical events
with symptoms and evolution characteristic for MS, but
for which no objective neurological findings are documented, can provide reasonable evidence of a prior
demyelinating event. Reports of paroxysmal symptoms
(historical or current) should, however, consist of multiple episodes occurring over not less than 24 hours. There
was consensus among the Panel members that before a
definite diagnosis of MS can be made, at least 1 attack
must be corroborated by findings on neurological examination, visual evoked potential (VEP) response in
patients reporting prior visual disturbance, or MRI consistent with demyelination in the area of the CNS implicated in the historical report of neurological symptoms.
The Panel concluded that the underlying concepts
of the original (2001) and revised (2005) McDonald Criteria8,9 are still valid, including the possibility of establishing a diagnosis of MS based on objective demonstration of dissemination of lesions in both space and time
on clinical grounds alone or by careful and standardized
integration of clinical and MRI findings. However, the
Panel now recommends key changes in the McDonald
Criteria related to the use and interpretation of imaging
criteria for DIS and DIT as articulated by the recently
published work from the MAGNIMS research group.2224
Such changes are likely to further increase diagnostic sensitivity without compromising specificity, while simplifying
the requirements for demonstration of both DIS and
DIT, with fewer required MRI examinations. The Panel
also makes specific recommendations for application of
the McDonald Criteria in pediatric and in Asian and
Latin American populations.
Recommended Modifications to the McDonald
Criteria: The 2010 Revisions
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING CRITERIA FOR
DIS. In past versions of the McDonald Criteria, DIS

demonstrated by MRI was based on the Barkhof/Tintore

criteria.4,6 Despite having good sensitivity and specificity,
these criteria have been difficult to apply consistently by
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TABLE 1: 2010 McDonald MRI Criteria for

Demonstration of DIS

DIS Can Be Demonstrated by
1 T2 Lesiona in at

Least 2 of 4 Areas of the CNS:
Periventricular
Juxtacortical
Infratentorial
Spinal cordb
Based on Swanton et al 2006, 2007.22,27
Gadolinium enhancement of lesions is not required for
DIS.
b
If a subject has a brainstem or spinal cord syndrome, the
symptomatic lesions are excluded from the Criteria and do
not contribute to lesion count.
MRI magnetic resonance imaging; DIS lesion dissemination in space; CNS central nervous system.

nonimaging specialists.25,26 The European MAGNIMS

multicenter collaborative research network, which studies
MRI in MS, compared the Barkhof/Tintore criteria for
DIS4,6 with simplified criteria developed by Swanton and
colleagues.22,27 In the MAGNIMS work, DIS can be
demonstrated with at least 1 T2 lesion in at least 2 of 4
locations considered characteristic for MS and as specified in the original McDonald Criteria (juxtacortical,
periventricular, infratentorial, and spinal cord), with
lesions within the symptomatic region excluded in
patients with brainstem or spinal cord syndromes. In 282
CIS patients, the Swanton-based DIS criteria were shown
to be simpler and slightly more sensitive than the original McDonald Criteria for DIS, without compromising
specificity and accuracy.22 The Panel accepted these
MAGNIMS DIS Criteria, which can simplify the diagnostic process for MS while preserving specificity and
improving sensitivity (Table 1).
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING CRITERIA FOR
DIT. The 2005 revision of the McDonald Criteria sim-

plified the MRI evidence required for DIT, basing it on

the appearance of a new T2 lesion on a scan compared
to a reference or baseline scan performed at least 30 days
after the onset of the initial clinical event.9 In clinical
practice, however, there is reason not to postpone a first
MRI until after 30 days of clinical onset, which would
result in an extra MRI scan to confirm a diagnosis. Abandoning the requirement for an extra reference MRI after
30 days does not compromise specificity,28 and therefore
the Panel, in its current revision of the McDonald Criteria, allows a new T2 lesion to establish DIT irrespective of
the timing of the baseline MRI.
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More recently, the MAGNIMS group confirmed

earlier studies29,30 by showing that, in patients with typical CIS, a single brain MRI study that demonstrates DIS
and both asymptomatic gadolinium-enhancing and nonenhancing lesions is highly specific for predicting early
development of clinically definite MS (CDMS) and reliably substitutes for prior imaging criteria for DIT.23,24
After review of these data, the Panel accepted that the
presence of both gadolinium-enhancing and nonenhancing
lesions on the baseline MRI can substitute for a follow-up
scan to confirm DIT (Table 2), as long as it can be reliably determined that the gadolinium-enhancing lesion is
not due to non-MS pathology.
By using the recommended simplified MAGNIMS
criteria to demonstrate DIS22 and allowing DIT to be
demonstrated by a scan containing both enhancing and
nonenhancing lesions in regions of the CNS typical for
MS,23 a diagnosis of MS can be made in some CIS
patients based on a single MRI.24 The Panel felt this is
justified because it simplifies the diagnostic process without reducing accuracy. However, a new clinical event or
serial imaging to show a new enhancing or T2 lesion will
still be required to establish DIT in those patients who
do not have both gadolinium-enhancing and nonenhancing lesions on their baseline MRI.
THE VALUE OF CEREBROSPINAL FLUID FINDINGS IN
DIAGNOSIS. The Panel reaffirmed that positive cere-

brospinal fluid (CSF) findings (elevated immunoglobulin

G [IgG] index or 2 or more oligoclonal bands) can be
important to support the inflammatory demyelinating
nature of the underlying condition, to evaluate alternative
diagnoses, and to predict CDMS.15,31 In the 2001 and
2005 McDonald Criteria, a positive CSF finding could
be used to reduce the MRI requirements for reaching
DIS criteria (requiring only 2 or more MRI-detected
lesions consistent with MS if the CSF was positive).8,9
However, when applying the simplified MAGNIMS
TABLE 2: 2010 McDonald MRI Criteria for
Demonstration of DIT

DIT Can Be Demonstrated by:

1. A new T2 and/or gadolinium-enhancing lesion(s)
on follow-up MRI, with reference to a baseline scan,
irrespective of the timing of the baseline MRI
2. Simultaneous presence of asymptomatic
gadolinium-enhancing and nonenhancing
lesions at any time
Based on Montalban et al 2010.24
MRI magnetic resonance imaging; DIT lesion dissemination in time.

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imaging criteria for DIS and DIT,24 the Panel believes

that even further liberalizing MRI requirements in CSFpositive patients is not appropriate, as CSF status was not
evaluated for its contribution to the MAGNIMS criteria
for DIS and DIT.22,24 Prospective studies using widely
available standardized techniques and the most sensitive
methods of detection of oligoclonal bands in the CSF together with the new imaging requirements are needed to
confirm the additional diagnostic value of CSF.32,33
MAKING A DIAGNOSIS OF PRIMARY PROGRESSIVE
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. In 2005, the Panel recom-

mended revising the McDonald Criteria for diagnosis of

primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) to require,
in addition to 1 year of disease progression, 2 of the following 3 findings: positive brain MRI (9 T2 lesions or 4
or more T2 lesions with positive VEP); positive spinal
cord MRI (2 focal T2 lesions); or positive CSF. These
criteria reflected the special role of both CSF examination and spinal cord MRI in PPMS, have been found to
be practical and are generally well accepted by the neurological community,34 and have been used as inclusion criteria for PPMS clinical trials.35 To harmonize MRI criteria
within the diagnostic criteria for all forms of MS, while
recognizing the special diagnostic needs for PPMS, the
Panel recommends that the McDonald Criteria requirement of fulfilling 2 of 3 MRI or CSF findings be maintained for PPMS, with replacement of the previous brain
imaging criterion with the new MAGNIMS brain imaging
criterion for DIS (2 of 3 of the following:
1 T2 lesions
in at least 1 area characteristic for MS [periventricular, juxtacortical, or infratentorial];
2 T2 lesions in the cord; or
positive CSF [isoelectric focusing evidence of oligoclonal
bands and/or elevated IgG index]) (Table 3). This consensus-based recommendation is justified by comparing diagnostic criteria for PPMS36 and by a subsequent reanalysis
of these data (X. Montalban, personal communication).
Use of MAGNIMS-based imaging criteria for PPMS with
or without associated CSF evaluation should be supported
by additional data further documenting the sensitivity and
specificity of the criteria in this population.
APPLICABILITY OF THE MCDONALD CRITERIA IN
PEDIATRIC, ASIAN, AND LATIN AMERICAN POPULATIONS. The McDonald Criteria were developed with

data gathered largely from adult Caucasian European and

North American populations, and their applicability has
been questioned for other populations, particularly pediatric cases,37,38 Asians,39,40 and Latin Americans.41
Pediatric MS
Over 95% of pediatric MS patients have an initial relapsingremitting disease course, whereas PPMS is excepFebruary 2011

TABLE 3: 2010 McDonald Criteria for Diagnosis of

MS in Disease with Progression from Onset

PPMS May Be Diagnosed in Subjects With:

1. One year of disease progression (retrospectively
or prospectively determined)
2. Plus 2 of the 3 following criteriaa:
A. Evidence for DIS in the brain based on
1 T2b
lesions in at least 1 area characteristic for MS
(periventricular, juxtacortical, or infratentorial)
B. Evidence for DIS in the spinal cord based
on
2 T2b lesions in the cord
C. Positive CSF (isoelectric focusing evidence of
oligoclonal bands and/or elevated IgG index)
a
If a subject has a brainstem or spinal cord syndrome, all
symptomatic lesions are excluded from the Criteria.
b
Gadolinium enhancement of lesions is not required.
MS multiple sclerosis; PPMS primary progressive MS;
DIS lesion dissemination in space; CSF cerebrospinal
fluid; IgG immunoglobulin G.

tional in children and should prompt detailed consideration of alternative diagnoses.4245 About 80% of pediatric
cases, and nearly all adolescent onset cases, present with
attacks typical for adult CIS, with a similar or greater total
T2 lesion burden.4648 In children younger than 11 years,
lesions are larger and more ill-defined than in teenagers.49
Imaging criteria for demonstrating DIS in pediatric MS
show high sensitivity and/or specificity.38,50,51
The Panels consensus was that the proposed MAGNIMS-based MRI revisions for DIS will also serve well
for most pediatric MS patients, especially those with acute
demyelination presenting as CIS, because most pediatric
patients will have >2 lesions and are very likely to have
lesions in 2 of the 4 specified CNS locations (periventricular, brainstem-infratentorial, juxtacortical, or spinal cord).
The frequency of spinal cord lesions in pediatric MS
patients is currently unreported, but the appearance of
cord lesions in pediatric MS patients with spinal cord
symptoms appears generally similar to that of adults.52
However, approximately 15 to 20% of pediatric
MS patients, most aged <11 years, present with encephalopathy and multifocal neurological deficits difficult
to distinguish from acute disseminated encephalomyelitis
(ADEM).43,50 Current operational international consensus criteria for MS diagnosis in children with an ADEMlike first attack require confirmation by 2 or more nonADEM like attacks, or 1 non-ADEM attack followed by
accrual of clinically silent lesions.53 Although children
with an ADEM-like first MS attack are more likely
than children with monophasic ADEM to have 1 or
more non-enhancing T1 hypointense lesions, 2 or more
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periventricular lesions, and the absence of a diffuse lesion

pattern,54 these features are not absolutely discriminatory.
Furthermore, MRI scans of children with monophasic
ADEM typically demonstrate multiple variably enhancing
lesions (often >2) typically located in the juxtacortical
white matter, infratentorial space, and spinal cord. Thus,
application of the revised MAGNIMS-based criteria for
DIS and DIT on initial MRI would be inappropriate for
such patients, and serial clinical and MRI observations are
required to confirm a diagnosis of MS. In this young age
group, there can be marked lesion resolution following an
initial attack49 prior to emergence over time of new lesions
and attacks leading to a diagnosis of MS.
MS in Asian and Latin American Populations
Among Asian patients with CNS inflammatory demyelinating disease, a phenotype characterized by NMO, longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesions, and positive
AQP4 autoantibody seropositivity19 has been relatively
more common than in Western populations.5557 The
Panel solicited input on use of the McDonald Criteria in
Asia and Latin America, where there is evidence of a similar phenotype distinction.41 Although the McDonald
Criteria are widely used in these parts of the world, there
is some uncertainty, especially in Asia, about whether MS
and NMO are distinct and if so, how they should be distinguished.39 As currently applied, the term opticospinal
MS appears to be an admixture of conventional MS and
NMO. Confusion has arisen (1) because of the recognition
that most cases of NMO are relapsing; (2) because AQP4
autoantibody testing has facilitated the diagnosis of NMO
and permitted inclusion of individuals with symptomatic
brain lesions who would previously have been excluded;
and (3) because of the recognition that selective involvement of optic nerve and spinal cord alone does not differentiate NMO from MS.58 It is insufficient to make a diagnosis of NMO in the absence of the required specificity
criteria of the revised Wingerchuk Criteria for definite
NMO, which recommend presence of optic neuritis, acute
myelitis, and at least 2 of 3 supportive paraclinical assessments (a contiguous spinal cord lesion at least 3 segments
in length, brain MRI at onset that is nondiagnostic for
MS, or NMO-IgG seropositivity).59 These criteria are successful in most instances to distinguish NMO from MS in
patients with optic neuritis and myelitis, but the spectrum
of NMO includes recurrent myelitis and optic neuritis,
NMO syndromes with symptomatic brain lesions at presentation, and NMO associated with systemic autoimmune
diseases.60 Failure to make the correct diagnosis in patients
with NMO may impact treatment.20
The Panel recommends testing for AQP4 autoantibodies with validated assays in patients who are suspected
296

of having NMO or NMO spectrum disorders, especially in

patients with Asian or Latin American genetic background
because of the higher prevalence of the disease in these
populations. Such testing may be less important in those
subjects presenting with conventional Western type MS.
Although not all patients with an NMO-like presentation
will be AQP4 antibody positive, the majority are, whereas
those with MS are more likely to be AQP4 antibody negative.16,56,61 Current evidence suggests that once NMO and
NMO spectrum disorders have been excluded, Western
type MS in Asia or Latin America is not fundamentally different from typical MS in the Caucasian population, and
that the MAGNIMS MRI criteria would apply for such
patients, although confirmatory studies should be done.
The McDonald Criteria: 2010 Revisions
APPLICATION OF THE CRITERIA. The Panel recommends revisions to the McDonald Criteria for diagnosis of
MS (Table 4) focusing specifically on requirements to demonstrate DIS, DIT, and on diagnosis of PPMS. These 2010
revisions to the McDonald Criteria are likely to be applicable in pediatric, Asian, and Latin American populations
once careful evaluation for other potential explanations for
the clinical presentation is made. The predictive validity of
DIS and DIT based on a single first scan in children with
CIS needs to be confirmed in prospective studies. The
McDonald Criteria have not yet been validated in Asian
and Latin American populations, and studies need to be
done to confirm the sensitivity and specificity of the Criteria
in such patients. Care must be taken to exclude NMO as a
differential diagnosis, which can be confounded by the
imperfect sensitivity of AQP-4 autoantibody assays, the presence of brain lesions in NMO, and the difficulty of detecting long spinal cord lesions in immunosuppressed patients.

Future Directions
POTENTIAL ADDED VALUE OF BIOMARKERS. Although increased IgG index or the presence of oligoclonal
bands in the CSF support an MS diagnosis, and AQP4
antibody assays can help in the differential diagnosis process, there are still no specific biomarkers to confirm the diagnosis. Several blood and CSF biomarkers may be promising,6265 and high-resolution spectral domain optical
coherence tomography might be as good as VEP in assessing visual involvement.66 The diagnostic utility of such
markers needs to be validated and tested prospectively.

The McDonald Criteria were based on detection of lesions generally

using 1.5T magnet strength in noncortical regions of the
brain and spinal cord. However, a large proportion of
REFINEMENTS IN IMAGING CRITERIA.

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TABLE 4: The 2010 McDonald Criteria for Diagnosis of MS

Clinical Presentation

Additional Data Needed for MS Diagnosis

2 attacksa; objective clinical

evidence of
2 lesions or objective
clinical evidence of 1 lesion with
reasonable historical
evidence of a prior attackb

Nonec

2 attacksa; objective clinical

evidence of 1 lesion

Dissemination in space, demonstrated by:

1 T2 lesion in at least 2 of 4 MS-typical regions of the CNS
(periventricular, juxtacortical, infratentorial, or spinal cord)d; or
Await a further clinical attacka implicating a different CNS site
Dissemination in time, demonstrated by:
Simultaneous presence of asymptomatic gadolinium-enhancing
and nonenhancing lesions at any time; or
A new T2 and/or gadolinium-enhancing lesion(s) on follow-up
MRI, irrespective of its timing with reference to a baseline scan; or
Await a second clinical attacka
Dissemination in space and time, demonstrated by:
For DIS:

1 T2 lesion in at least 2 of 4 MS-typical regions of the CNS
(periventricular, juxtacortical, infratentorial, or spinal cord)d; or
Await a second clinical attacka implicating a different CNS site; and
For DIT:
Simultaneous presence of asymptomatic gadolinium-enhancing
and nonenhancing lesions at any time; or
A new T2 and/or gadolinium-enhancing lesion(s) on follow-up MRI,
irrespective of its timing with reference to a baseline scan; or
Await a second clinical attacka
1 year of disease progression (retrospectively or prospectively
determined) plus 2 of 3 of the following criteriad:
1. Evidence for DIS in the brain based on
1 T2 lesions in the
MS-characteristic (periventricular, juxtacortical, or infratentorial) regions
2. Evidence for DIS in the spinal cord based on
2 T2
lesions in the cord
3. Positive CSF (isoelectric focusing evidence of oligoclonal bands
and/or elevated IgG index)

1 attacka; objective clinical

evidence of
2 lesions

1 attacka; objective clinical

evidence of 1 lesion
(clinically isolated syndrome)

Insidious neurological progression

suggestive of MS (PPMS)

If the Criteria are fulfilled and there is no better explanation for the clinical presentation, the diagnosis is MS; if suspicious, but
the Criteria are not completely met, the diagnosis is possible MS; if another diagnosis arises during the evaluation that better
explains the clinical presentation, then the diagnosis is not MS.
a
An attack (relapse; exacerbation) is defined as patient-reported or objectively observed events typical of an acute inflammatory
demyelinating event in the CNS, current or historical, with duration of at least 24 hours, in the absence of fever or infection. It
should be documented by contemporaneous neurological examination, but some historical events with symptoms and evolution
characteristic for MS, but for which no objective neurological findings are documented, can provide reasonable evidence of a prior
demyelinating event. Reports of paroxysmal symptoms (historical or current) should, however, consist of multiple episodes occurring over not less than 24 hours. Before a definite diagnosis of MS can be made, at least 1 attack must be corroborated by findings
on neurological examination, visual evoked potential response in patients reporting prior visual disturbance, or MRI consistent
with demyelination in the area of the CNS implicated in the historical report of neurological symptoms.
b
Clinical diagnosis based on objective clinical findings for 2 attacks is most secure. Reasonable historical evidence for 1 past attack,
in the absence of documented objective neurological findings, can include historical events with symptoms and evolution characteristics for a prior inflammatory demyelinating event; at least 1 attack, however, must be supported by objective findings.
c
No additional tests are required. However, it is desirable that any diagnosis of MS be made with access to imaging based on these
Criteria. If imaging or other tests (for instance, CSF) are undertaken and are negative, extreme caution needs to be taken before
making a diagnosis of MS, and alternative diagnoses must be considered. There must be no better explanation for the clinical presentation, and objective evidence must be present to support a diagnosis of MS.
d
Gadolinium-enhancing lesions are not required; symptomatic lesions are excluded from consideration in subjects with brainstem
or spinal cord syndromes.
MS multiple sclerosis; CNS central nervous system; MRI magnetic resonance imaging; DIS dissemination in space; DIT
dissemination in time; PPMS primary progressive multiple sclerosis; CSF cerebrospinal fluid; IgG immunoglobulin G.

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MS lesions are in the cortex67,68 and can be detected

using double inversion recovery imaging.6974 The presence of at least 1 intracortical lesion in subjects with CIS
may help identify subjects at high risk for developing
CDMS.75 Magnet strengths >1.5T with tailored acquisition protocols7679 may also enhance diagnosis, with
improvements in image resolution, signal-to-noise ratio,
and chemical shift. Scans at 7.0T showed lesions in the
white and gray matter with enhanced in vivo detection
of pathological hallmarks of MS lesions.8083 Finally,
MRI techniques such as magnetic transfer imaging allow
the detection of damage outside focal lesions (for
instance, in normal-appearing brain tissues) not present
in conditions such as ADEM and NMO.15,84,85 The
utility of these scanning technologies for MS diagnosis in
patients with CIS remains a matter for future research
and validation.
Many individuals with high lesion loads may have
had a protracted subclinical disease course prior to their
first clinical event. As a consequence, occasional individuals investigated by MRI for indications unrelated to MS
have incidental findings of brain lesions with appearance
and topography consistent with MS. Detection of this
presymptomatic phase, or radiologically isolated syndrome, is increasingly common. Some of these individuals followed clinically and by serial imaging will develop
DIT by MRI, and some have clinical disease-defining
events after several years.8689 However, in the absence of
supportive research findings, the Panel concluded that a
firm diagnosis of MS based on incidental findings on
MRI alone, even with additional supportive findings on
evoked potentials or typical CSF findings in the absence
of MS-relevant clinical symptoms, is problematic. A
future definite diagnosis of MS, however, cannot be
excluded and may be likely, depending on the evolution
of neurologic symptoms and signs.
Conclusions
The 2010 revisions to the McDonald Criteria will in
some instances allow a more rapid diagnosis of MS, with
equivalent or improved specificity and/or sensitivity compared with past Criteria and will in many instances clarify and simplify the diagnostic process with fewer
required MRI examinations. A proportion of patients with
nonspecific symptoms (eg, fatigue, weakness, or dizziness)
and nonspecific MRI findings are referred to secondary
and tertiary MS centers in the developed world for a second opinion and do not in fact have MS.90 These revised
McDonald Criteria for MS diagnosis should therefore be
applied only when patients have experienced a typical CIS
(or progressive paraparesis/cerebellar/cognitive syndrome in
the case of suspected PPMS).
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The Panel acknowledges that using these refined

diagnostic criteria may change some of the outcomes of
patients in natural history studies and clinical trials,
when original expectations for outcomes may be based
on subjects whose diagnosis was made using past, somewhat different criteria.91 Most of the currently recommended revisions are based upon new data generated
since the 2005 revisions. However, there remains a need
for further testing in prospective and retrospective datasets of many of these criteria, especially in populations of
patients typical of those seen in general neurology practices, both to further assess their value and utility and to
provide suggestions for further refinements in the future.

Acknowledgment
The work of the Panel was supported by the US
National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple
Sclerosis, the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation,
and MS Ireland.
The Panel thanks Drs T. Saida, M. Lana-Peixoto,
D. Callegaro, and C. Oehninger for help in gaining perspective on the use of the McDonald Criteria in Asia
and Latin America.
This work is dedicated to the memory of Dr W.
Ian McDonald, who chaired the original Panel and
whose continuing inspiration has driven the work for the
second and third revisions to the Criteria that now bear
his name.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

C.H.P.: consultancy, Actelion, Biogen Idec, Bayer Schering, Teva, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Glaxo SK, UCB,
Roche, Antisense Ther; expert testimony, Biogen Idec;
grants/grants pending, Biogen Idec, Bayer Schering, Teva,
Merck-Serono, Novartis, Glaxo SK, UCB. S.C.R.: travel
support, US NMSS, ECTRIMS, Multiple Sclerosis
International Federation, MS Ireland; payment for writing
or reviewing manuscript, US NMSS, ECTRIMS; consultancy, US NMSS, ECTRIMS, Sanofi-Aventis, Bayer
Schering Pharma, BioMarin, EMD Merck Serono, Mt
Sinai College of Medicine (New York, NY), European
Committee for Treatment and Research in MS, Eisai, INC
Research, Eli Lilly Inc, Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc, MediciNova, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Free University
Amsterdam, Genentech/F. Hoffmann-LaRoche, Synthon
BV, Antisense Therapeutics Ltd, BaroFold, Protein Design
Laboratories; royalties, Demos Medical Publishers (New
York, NY). B.B.: travel support, US NMSS, ECTRIMS,
MSIF, MS Ireland; consultancy, Biogen Idec, Genzyme;
grants/grants pending, Multiple Sclerosis Society of
Volume 69, No. 2

Polman et al: 2010 Revisions to MS Diagnosis

Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research; paid

educational presentations, honoraria for symposia at the
American Academy of Neurology. M.C.: board membership, GENMAB; consultancy, Biogen, Genzyme; grants/
grants pending, Bayer Schering, Biogen Elan, Novartis,
Merck Serono, Sanofi-Aventis, Teva. J.A.C.: travel expenses, US NMSS; consultancy, Biogen Idec, Lilly,
Novartis, Serono, Teva; grants/grants pending, Department of Defense, NIH, US NMSS; speaking fees, Biogen
Idec, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Waterfront Media. M.F.:
travel expenses, US NMSS, ECTRIMS, MSIF, MS
Ireland; board membership, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Genmab A/S; consultancy, Bayer Schering
Pharma, Biogen-Dompe AG, Genmab A/S, Merck Serono,
Pepgen Corporation, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd;
grants/grants pending, Bayer-Schering, Biogen-Dompe
AG, Genmab A/S, Merck Serono, Teva Pharmaceutical
Industries Ltd, Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla,
Fondazione Mariani; speaking fees, Bayer Schering
Pharma, Biogen-Dompe AG, Genmab A/S, Merck Serono,
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd; travel expenses, Teva,
Biogen-Dompe AG, Merck-Serono, Sanofi-Aventis, Genmab, Bayer Schering. K.F.: travel expenses, US NMSS,
ECTRIMS, MSIF, MS Ireland; consultancy, Bayer Schering Pharma, Biogen Idec, Merck Serono; grants/grants
pending, Bayer Schering Pharma, Biogen Idec, Asahi Kasei
Kuraray Medical Co Ltd, Chemo-Sero-Therapeutic Research Institute, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Teijin Pharma, Theva Pharmaceutical, Eisai Inc, Kowa Pharmaceutical, Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology of
Japan, Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan;
speaking fees, Bayer Schering Pharma, Biogen Idec, Eisai
Inc, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Astellas Pharma, Takeda
Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Asahi Kasei Kuraray
Medical Co; paid manuscript preparation, Cosmic Corporation; royalties, Bunkodo. E.H.: travel expenses, US
NMSS, ECTRIMS, MSIF, MS Ireland; consultancy,
Biogen Idec, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Novartis, Grifols;
grants/grants pending, Biogen Idec; speaking fees, Biogen
Idec, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Novartis, Bayer Healthcare,
Sanofi-Aventis; paid educational presentations, Novartis.
M.H.: consultancy, Biogen Idec; grant/grants pending,
Health Research Board Ireland; speaking fees, Biogen Idec.
L.K.: travel expenses, US NMSS; board membership,
Editorial Board of Multiple Sclerosis; grants/grants pending, National Research Foundation Switzerland, Rubatto
Foundation, Swiss MS society, European Union, Roche
Foundation, Novartis Foundation; speaking fees, various
companies involved in development of MS therapeutics;
paid educational presentations, Neurostatus System for
Standardized Neurological Assessment. F.D.L.: travel
support, US NMSS; consultancy, Novartis, Bayer, Biogen
February 2011

Idec, EMD Serono, Genentech, Teva Neuroscience,

Genmab, Medicinova, Actelion, Allozyne, Sanofi-Aventis,
Acorda, Questcor, Avanir, Roche, Celgene, Abbott, Pfizer,
Morphosys; grants/grants pending, NIH, NMSS, Acorda,
Biogen Idec, Teva, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis; speaking fees,
Genzyme, Teva, EMD Serono; paid educational presentations, various continuing medical education services; stock/
stock options, cognition pharmaceuticals. X.M.: travel
expenses, US NMSS; consultancy, Bayer Schering Pharma,
Biogen Idec, EMD Merck Serono, Genentech, Genzyme,
Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Almirall;
grants/grants pending, Bayer Schering Pharma, Biogen
Idec, EMD Merck Serono, Genentech, Genzyme, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Almirall; speaking fees, Bayer Schering Pharma, Biogen Idec, EMD
Merck Serono, Genentech, Genzyme, Novartis, SanofiAventis, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Almirall. M.S.-W.: travel
support, US NMSS, ECTRIMS, MSIF, MS Ireland; fees
for review activities, Genentech, Merck Serono, Roche;
board membership, Board of Directors of Active Biotech,
Sweden; consultancy, Elan, Merck Serono; speaking fees,
Bayer Health Care, Merck Serono, Serono Symposia
International Foundation, Sanofi-Aventis, Swedish Bank
SEB. A.J.T.: travel support, US NMSS, ECTRIMS, MSIF,
MS Ireland; board membership, National Hospital Development Foundation, Patrick Berthoud Charitable Trust;
consultancy, Weleda AG/Society for Clinical Research,
Medical Research Council, MS Society of Great Britain,
Merck Serono, Biogen Idec, DIGNA Biotech, Novartis,
Eisai London Research Laboratories, Teva Pharmaceuticals;
grants/grants pending, National Institute for Health
Research, MS Society of Great Britain; speaking fees,
Serono Symposia, Sanofi-Aventis; travel expenses, MS
International Federation, US NMSS, Biogen Idec; honoraria, Editor-in-Chief of Multiple Sclerosis. E.W.: consultancy, Roche, Actelion; grants/grants pending, US
NMSS, NIH; speaking fees, Teva; received free drug for
a trial given by Sanofi-Aventis and Biogen Idec. B.W.:
travel support, US NMSS; European Committee for
Treatment of MS; MS International Foundation; MS
Ireland; consultancy, Novartis, Biogen Idec; employment,
Mayo Clinic; royalties, RSR Ltd. J.S.W.: travel support,
US NMSS, ECTRIMS, MSIF, MS Ireland; board
membership, Antisense Therapeutics Ltd, BCDecker,
Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi-Aventis, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly, UCB; consultancy, Genentech, Novartis
Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi-Aventis, Teva Neuroscience, Teva
Pharmaceuticals, Acorda, Acetilon, Bayer HealthCare,
Facet Biotech, Peptimmune; grants/grants pending, NIH,
Sanofi-Aventis, Clayton Foundation for Research, US
NMSS; honoraria for lectures, Consortium MS Centers,
Sanofi-Aventis New Zealand, Sterling Meeting Services,
299

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sclerosis in patients presenting with clinically isolated syndromes:
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23.

Poser CM, Paty, DW, Scheinberg LC, et al. New diagnostic criteria
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Rovira A, Swanton J, Tintore M, et al. A single, early magnetic resonance imaging study in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Arch
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24.

Paty DW, Oger JJ, Kastrukoff LF, et al. MRI in the diagnosis of
MS: a prospective study with comparison of clinical evaluation,
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Albertyn C, ODowd S, McHugh J, Murphy R. Compliance with

McDonald criteria and red flag recognition in a general neurology
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USF Health Professionals, Texas Neurological Society, Teva

Pharmaceuticals, Lone Star Chapter NMSS, ICHE, Pfizer
EMD Serono, SUNY, Stony Brook Foundation, UTMB,
Medscape CME, University of Buffalo, Serono Symposia
International Foundation, University of Utah; royalties,
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